Searching For A Hero
by nomdeplumekansas
Summary: Fran searches for a hero on that for that fateful night in 1980. Ella Mae Bowen inspired song fic. Rated for drug reference.


**A/N: Song fic that struck me today. Just some my thoughts as to what may have been in Francine's final moments if the drug overdose story is true. **

Francine stumbled from the bedroom to the bathroom. She didn't even remember whose apartment she was in as her head swam. She vaguely felt her knees go weak beneath her and she crawled the rest of the way into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She really wanted to make it to the toilet, but the cool linoleum floor was too appealing. Slowly, she lowered the rest of the way and laid down.

Something wasn't right. Francine had been high once before and that had been fun, freeing even. This felt wrong. Maybe she shouldn't have tried this new crack thing. She didn't know anything about it, but everyone was saying it was better than pot. She was still on antibiotics. Her head was swimming like…

"Is the pneumonia coming back," she whispered as tears came to her eyes. The stomach cramping was a new sensation. Francine thought about trying to find her girlfriends, if she was sick, she'd need a ride to the hospital.

The bathroom door suddenly swung open, into her calf. "Help me, please," Francine murmured. "It's so hot in here."

"Sorry, didn't realize someone was in here," a voice that sounded millions of miles away spoke. She heard the door close and she was alone again. A thought suddenly hit her, today was Friday. Fran was supposed to call her dad. He's gonna be so worried, Fran thought as she curled into a ball.

_Where have all the good men gone  
And where are the gods?  
Where's the streetwise Hercules  
To fight the rising odds?  
_

Fran's dad was a good man. He wasn't perfect, but for nearly her whole life Frankie Valli had been her knight in shining armor. She thought back to when she was five and he'd check her closet and under her bed every night he was home for monsters. When he was on the road, he'd hide an extra flashlight by her nightstand so nothing would sneak up on her in the dark.

_Isn't there a white knight  
Upon a fiery steed?  
Late at night I toss and turn  
And dream of what I need_

A violent shake of her body pulled Francine back to the present, where she found herself lying in a pool of vomit. Groaning she pushed herself back from the mess. "Daddy," Francine called out softly as tears came to her eyes. "Somebody, help me please," Fran begged.

_I need a hero  
I'm holding out for a hero til the end of the night  
He's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast,  
and he's got to be fresh from the fight,  
I need a hero,  
I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light,  
he's got to be sure, and it gotta be soon, _

_and he's to to be larger than life._

A memory of when Fran was eight was suddenly all Fran could think of. She was standing on the coffee table belting out every song she could think of. Toni and Celia were dancing around the living room and Dad was sitting on the couch making a home movie. She could sing like her dad, but Fran loved singing like her Uncle Nick. Flying from one octave to another and back, was fun and was making her Dad laugh. That laughter was Fran's favorite noise. Sniffing, Fran was brought back to the present. She realized her nose was running and her face was wet. Why is my face wet, Fran thought to herself. Where in the hell am I?

_Somewhere after midnight  
In my wildest fantasies  
Somewhere just beyond my reach  
There's someone reaching back for me_

Racing on the thunder  
And rising with the heat  
Isn't there a Superman  
To sweep me off my feet? 

Someone was sitting on the edge of the tub watching Fran. She couldn't force herself to move, but her eyes tried to focus on the young woman sitting there. The woman was talking but Fran couldn't make out a word. She blinked owlishly and tried to focus on the girl.

"…why Franny," The girl was asking. "How could you be so stupid?"

"I'm sorry," Fran wept bitterly. "Help me."

"I will, but it's too soon." The girl said. "I'll stay with you though."

"I know you," Fran's eyes drifted shut.

"Yeah, Fran," The girl smiled sadly. "Just rest. It'll be better soon."

"Celia," Fran murmured.

"I'm here," Celia slid down from the tub, next to Fran's head and put a cool hand on her sister's damp forehead.

_I need a hero  
I'm holding out for a hero til the end of the night  
He's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast,  
and he's gotta be fresh from the fight  
I need a hero  
I'm holding out for a hero til the morning light  
he's gotta be sure, and its gotta be soon  
and he's got to be larger than life_

Fran gasped as consciousness returned. She didn't know if she'd been out for minutes, hours or even days. "Daddy," she called out as pain wracked through her small frame. "Don't be mad, please just be brave. Everything's going to be okay."

Everything around Francine was out of proportion, the sink was a massive tower before her, and the door, though only a foot away looked like it was miles from where she was still laying. Francine felt like she was laying on a sheet of ice. Chills overtook her and she groaned. The floor was so uncomfortable. It seemed as if the linoleum had turned into a bed of broken glass. There was rhythmic pounding coming from the other side of the door. Were her uncles over and playing with Dad, Fran wondered. That sounded like _Big Girls Don't Cry_, her favorite song. I should go out there, Fran thought to herself and pushed herself into a sitting position. The effort felt surreal though. Suddenly there was no floor beneath her and Fran felt like she was floating through darkness.

_Up where the mountains meet the heavens above  
Out where the lightning splits the sea  
I could swear that there's someone somewhere  
Watching me.  
Through the wind and the chill and the rain  
And the storm and the raging flood  
Oh, his approach is like a fire in my blood_

Mom knew she couldn't stop me from coming to New York, Fran smiled as she came back to the way too bright bathroom. Daddy tried to stop me though, Fran smiled thinly. "He's gonna be okay isn't he," Fran asked looking up at Celia.

Celia didn't respond, but there were tears in her eyes now too.

The bathroom door popped open again. "Ewww…" A girl's voice screeched at the sight. "Hey, everyone stay outta this bathroom, someone's sick."

"Please don't leave me," Francine cried softly, reaching out a hand.

"Let's just go ahead down to Julio's and get some food like we planned," Another voice called out from down the hall. "Maybe she'll feel better later and can catch up with us."

The door slammed shut and Francine balled up even tighter at the loud sudden noise. The pounding music had stopped and after a few minutes, a deathly silence filled her ears. "I need to call Dad, please," Francine grunted and tried to get back to her feet. "I need my Dad."

_I'll meet a hero  
And then we'll dance til the morning light  
Dreaming, he will lead me  
Held tight, tonight's the night_

Things were getting smaller now, darker too. "Celia, where are you," Francine called out.

"I'm here, but you're going to have to come to me now." Celia answered distantly.

"Where," Francine asked. "I'm so scared."

"It's okay now Franny," Celia replied. "The pain is almost over. You're almost home."

"Wait, I need to tell Daddy I love him," Fran suddenly exclaimed, trying to focus on the fading light, struggling against the darkness that was crowding her vision. "I need to let him know that I'm okay."

_I need a hero  
I'm holding out for a hero til the end of the night  
He's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast  
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight  
I need a hero  
I'm holding out for a hero til the morning light  
He's gotta be sure, he's gotta be soon  
And he's gotta be larger than life, larger than life_

The apartment was silent now. There was no movement. Soon there would be a flurry of activity, but for now it was quiet and still. There was no more pain or loneliness. There was only a young girl, reunited with a lost sister, who made one tragic mistake.

_Oooooh  
Larger than life  
Larger than life  
Oh maybe, maybe, maybe tonight  
Oh, I need a hero._


End file.
